their coastal defence role . amongst the naval contingent from new south wales were 200 naval officers and sailors and 50 permanent soldiers headquartered at victoria barracks , sydney who originally enlisted for the second boer war . the soldiers were keen to go to china but refused to be enlisted as sailors , while the new south wales naval brigade objected to having soldiers in their ranks . the army and navy compromised and titled the contingent the nsw marine light infantry . the contingent ##s from new south wales and victoria sailed for china on 8 august 1900 . arriving in tie ##nts ##in , the australians provided 300 men to an 8 @ , @ 000 @ - @ strong multinational force tasked with capturing
their coastal defence role. amongst the naval contingent from new south wales were 200 naval officers and sailors and 50 permanent soldiers headquartered at victoria barracks, sydney who originally enlisted for the second boer war. the soldiers were keen to go to china but refused to be enlisted as sailors, while the new south wales naval brigade objected to having soldiers in their ranks. the army and navy compromised and titled the contingent the nsw marine light infantry. the contingents from new south wales and victoria sailed for china on 8 august 1900. arriving in tientsin, the australians provided 300 men to an 8 @, @ 000 @ - @ strong multinational force tasked with capturing